


Buddy System

by Genetic_s



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Bottom Eddie, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, M/M, Protective Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier Flirts, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie Tozier is a Little Shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 08:35:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14351838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genetic_s/pseuds/Genetic_s
Summary: “Richie Tozier coming to Derry to film?” That was the front page on every local newspaper and magazine around the place. Eddie hated it. Eddie didn’t even know what the boy looked like really, having ignored them. It wasn’t until the rumors came true that Eddie had to open up his eyes to being buddies with this careless celebrity.





	Buddy System

**Author's Note:**

> I think I forgot to mention what I named the whole fix after. But the buddy System in context is a system that Derry high school set up to have new kids not be so alone on their first days. My school has it. It’s annoying.

PART ONE

 

"I don't know why you guys are making such a big deal about this?!" Eddie sighed looking half heartedly at his best friends. "It's probably not gonna happen."

"The Rumors that drake bell was gonna come to Derry High school turned out to be true so to think that one of the most popular child stars out there could be ATTENDING this trashy school!? The possibilities are endless." Ben Hanscom's eyes were sparkling. The other two boys on their twitter feeds searching for some scrap of evidence that the infamous bad boy Richie Tozier would be attending Derry High school.

"Yeah but Drake Bell is a Disney channel drop out"

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!"

"Do you think he's in our grade?" a tall dark skinned boy looked at the others, completely ignoring eddies comment.

"Out of everyone I would have though the great Mike Hanlon wouldn't be reduced to some sort of fan girl" Eddie smirked

"P-Please the only reason you a-aren't a f-fan of him is because you've n-never seen his face"

That was true, while he did have social media and such he scarcely checked it. The only other time Richie had ever popped up in conversation was with the boys. They were all big fans of him but they were acting like little kids on Christmas. 

"Yeah well I have heard enough about him to know he sounds like an asshole" Eddie rolled his eyes and turned to Stan the only other person who seemed not to be going crazy about some trash mouth attending their tiny high school.

"Don't you have to show a new kid around the school?" Stan looked at him with a sarcastic look. Yes, at the beginning of the year Eddie had signed up to show new students and freshman around the school. He needed volunteer hours or else he never would have done this."if it's Richie, Make sure you get him to autograph your yearbook!"

By that time Eddie was already walking away from the boys, he didn't see all the hype about someone coming to their school, wether they were famous or not. Yeah, maybe Eddie wasn't super in tune with pop culture but he did have common sense. 

The halls of Derry high school hadn't changed since the 80's, it was the most stereotypical school too. The kind you see in movies where kids get kicked and beat up against the old rusty green lockers. The kind of school that you knew people were smoking pot or cigs on the roof and in the restrooms. The kind of school where every door creeks and no desk stands up straight.

Honestly, if he hadn't been attending the school for years, Derry Highschool would've given Eddie nightmares. Nasty bathrooms, people stopping to make out in the hallway, and the food was practically toxic waste. But something about being with his friends and away from his home made him happy. No matter where he was, school just happened to be the place.

Every step he took echoed down the narrow hall. It was so quiet after school you could hear the leaky faucets from wherever you were standing. Then time paused for a moment.

"HEY” a cold hand grasped his mouth firmly sealing it shut and making it rather hard for Eddie to breathe. He struggled to push whoever was pinning him to the wall off. "Wphnt du you wapnt"

No response. The supply closet smelled like bleach and other unknown chemicals, a familiar scent. He had been in here plenty of times and he hadn't enjoyed his stay. All fresh as year Henry bowers had knocked him out, locked him up, and left him to lay alone in here for hours. He knew just about every ingredient to all the chemicals having read the labels oh so many times.

"Just a couple more seconds," Eddie didn't recognize the voice at all, Definitely not bowers. While Bowers voice had an edge to it, this one was edgy too but gentle instead of violent. Like he just got his voice back. His hands pressed harder against eddies mouth, as the boy frantically tried to pry them off.

A couple voices, female ones, came from outside the closed door "I think he went this way" and "what if he is in the bathroom?" Followed by annoying giggles and more footsteps. The calloused hand began loosening it’s grip, And as soon as the voices faded the figure pinning him against the nasty wall more than close for comfort released his hand.

Immediately he began rummaging through his fanny pack, trying to find his inhaler.

"Wouldn’t this help?”

The boy was tall, and thin like a giant string bean, except not green, or edible... for the most part. His chestnut curls were being covered by a red worn out baseball cap with the word Chicago on it,and his eyes were hidden behind thick sunglasses. He had Bright cheeks that were rosy and dotted with freckles and a smile that was rather crooked but inviting like tea from a stranger while sitting in the cold.

Yeah... tea that shoves you into a janitors closet without explanation.

"The names-" before the mystery boy could finish his sentence Eddie turned out of the closet simultaneously taking a puff from his inhaler, annoyed and late. "Hey! Do I even get a chance to apologize?"

"Forget about it I have to get to the main office," Eddie wasn't normally a late person. He was actually recognized for his perfect attendance, although it was usually with black eyes or bloody noses.

"What a coincidence, so do I" it didn't take him long to catch up with the boy who stood reluctantly holding the office door open for him.

"Eddie, Richie! Welcome have a seat." The principal cast down a smile on the two boys.

Wait.

You’ve got to be kidding me. The school wide prank wasn’t a prank? Or was this still a part of the prank? Was he-

"Thank you ma'm" Richie sat down in a chair, his voice interrupting eddies thoughts.

The thick sunglasses he was wearing before were now resting in richies lap. His eyes. They were dark brown but not like the color off dirt. Like the color of caramel. The color of hot coco or 

Eddie took his seat sort of feeling bad for giving the boy the cold shoulder. He seemed polite, at least around the principal. Although shoving someone into a tool closet without notion didn't seem Very polite To Eddie.

"So it seems you will be shadowing Eddie for the time you will be staying here at Derry high?”

“Yes ma’am” 

“Have you two met before?."

“Yes about 15 minutes ago,” Richie stated this as if right as they met they had become the best of friends

“Perfect so we can skip introductions I guess I will be seeing you two around?”

"Thank you so much ma'am I promise I will not dissapoint" he put his sunglasses on and stood up out of his chair. did Eddie miss something. That meeting seemed unusually short. He grabbed his bag which he had left here in final period and slung it over his shoulder. He felt super confused but followed the taller boy out anyway. 

"So, as I didn't really get a chance to meet you earlier, nor introduce myself I shall do so now" Richie cleared his throat standing up straighter "My name is Richard Tozier 18 years old. You might've seen me in a couple things" He said it with a weird accent obviously over pronouncing every syllable

"Actually no, but my friends won't stop talking about you"

"Sooooo, you have a bit of background knowledge?"

"No other then you are, and I quote, 'only the biggest child star out there right now' and if you're 18 they can't even call you a child star" eddies voice sounded a bit harsher than he meant it too but he didn’t correct himself.

Richie started to speak then paused looking down at the shorter boy as he realized he was right. "Well how bout you?"

"What about me?"

"You got a full name or should I keep making up nicknames until I bug it out of you?"

"My name is Eddie Kaspbrak I'm 18," Eddie paused trying to think about something interesting to say about himself, when he heard whispering around the corner. 

"I hate to do this to you again eds but hey it's a great Bonding experience " Richie once again dragged the smaller boy to the nearest empty classroom and this time began to peel off his jacket. "Do you think you could put this in your backpack seeing as i don’t have mine with me.” The hoodie was way too big for eddies frame its was a bit old and black with some sort of band print on it.

"Why?" 

"It's too recognizable. I just won't wear it while I'm here I was already mobbed by some crazy girl pose." Eddie laughed thinking about Ben, Bill, and Mike surrounding the boy asking him for autographs. “One of them tried to slip their hand-“

"You wash it right?" Eddie interrupted the boy, not wanting to see where the rest of the sentence was going.

"What kind of question is that"

"Well I figured if it's too recognizable them that means you wear it a lot out in public. You wash it right?" 

"I'm not white trash, yes I wash it dweeb. Will you hold onto it for me? Just for a second."

"Yeah... I guess," 

“So,” the two began walking towards the classroom “you were talking about yourself Mr.K”

“There’s nothing too interesting to know, life in Derry is pretty mundane.”

“Yeah maybe, but I didn’t ask about derry, I asked about you.”

“I know, like I said, I’m not that interesting”

“C’mon,” Richie bent his head over and pointed to eddies waist “your wearing a fanny pack so there is no way you can’t be interesting.”

“Its just got my pills in it.” Slowly but surely even as Richie prodded him with question after question he began to feel somewhat comfortable with the boy. He had an aura about him that made Eddie feel sort of safe.

“So what are your friends like?”

“Well there’s Bill, Mike, Ben and Stan. They’re all big fans of yours they’d be so jealous if I told them about this. Well all of them except Stan. He doesn’t really care much for you.”

“But he’s never even met me?!” Richie pretended to be shocked and offended “maybe I’ll just have to meet them”

“I don’t think-“

"Do you want a ride? I mean it's not much after what I’ve done, but hey it's better than walking home freezing cold." After thinking it over for a bit Eddie decided to have the boy take him home, only asking him to be dropped off a little ways from his house just to be safe.

"Are you sure you want me to drop you off this far away? Do you trust me that little?" Richie made puppy eyes at the short boy standing, shivering outside the truck, "here at least take this." He threw his jacket at Eddie laughing when it landed on his face.

"See you tomorrow Richie" Eddie said in the most monotone voice, Although saying his name made him feel a bit warmer.

"You too Ed's"

"Don't call me-" before Eddie could finish Richie had already started driving away.

Everything had just happened so fast. He only took this stupid shadowing program so he could get volunteer hours. He didn’t expect to meet a fucking celebrity.

Eddie began to walk silently home, his warm breath dancing in front of him is the cold evening. His fingers beginning to feel as if they would freeze off any minute now so, reluctantly he shoved his hands in the pockets of the oversized jacket.

A long thin piece of paper was resting just inside of the seam.

He pulled it out with his numb hand and looked at it. In sloppy handwriting was a series of numbers. Wow. Richie was oldschool. His, or what Eddie assumed to be his number, was written hastily on the small paper in his palm.

He shoved it back in the pocket and unzipped his fanny pack. Almost home. A dollop of sanitizer landed on the center of his hand. He messed with it a bit, making it move around, before actually rubbing it in. It made is hand sting in the chilly breeze.

It couldn't have been this cold this morning Eddie walks to school every morning. But luckily he now stood on the front steps of his own house he grabbed the key in his own pants pocket and walked in the front door. 

The lights were off and the room was just the right temperature. Just like every other time he had arrived home. Although now a days the TV wasn't on and there wasn't a snack ready on the table.

"Eddie Bear? Is that you?" His mothers voice echoed from the other room, before opening the door to her bedroom. The door was slightly cracked open and he could just see the foot of his mothers bed. He quickly slipped off richie's jacket setting it out of her view.

"Hey mommy!" His voice quivered, his mother was getting over a nasty cold and hadn't left her bed for a couple days. She looked awful.

"Come sit," she gestured to the wooden chair by the head of her bed, playing some sort of Facebook game on her iPad"How was school honey?"

"It was good," he paused glancing at the door "I showed a new kid around school.  
I got an A on my physics test."

"That's great-" she stopped talking to turn and cough on her arm, rather violently. Ms.Kaspbrak grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "Why don't you go up to your room and get started on your homework."

"Yes Mommy." He stood up and leaned over kissing her on the forehead. He quietly walked out and closed the door behind him. Richie's jacket vibrated on the floor.

STAN: So?

STAN: Who was the new kid?

Eddie didn't know why he didn't tell them it was Richie. But he didn't. Something in him wanted to keep Richie to himself. For bragging rights... yeah.

EDDIE: I don't remember his name, Isaac maybe?

STAN: What's he like? 

MIKE: he joining any after school activities.

EDDIE: Aggressively "friendly", and I don't know

BEN: are you gonna introduce us?

EDDIE: probably not,,, I think I'll eat with him separate an: let him make some friends

EDDIE: then I'll come back with you guys.

MIKE: Boooooring

STAN: yeah cmon 

EDDIE: I know for a fact you would hate this guy

BEN: not to be a Debby downer but

BEN: Stan hates everyone.

laughing at his phone, Eddie plopped down on his bed. His room was dimly lit so it wouldn’t hurt his eyes. Decorated with hardwood floors, and venetian blinds. Both things that made it apparently difficult for bacteria to latch on. 

Eddie shuffled through his backpack looking for his government homework. He pulled out a green notebook and a pencil flipping it to the most recent unused page. Slowly he scrawled the words “Pages 34-51” neatly on the top of the page.

Mr.Frank said he had to finish three pages of notes on the legislative branch. That was such a huge topic. Eddie instead just stared at his paper for a good 15 minuets.

Richie's jacket, number still inside, was laying on the floor just asking to be used. He pulled the jacket on and despite him using it in the cold it was so warm. Almost subconsciously Eddie Slipped his hand in the pocket, grabbed the number, and entered it into his phone. 

EDDIE: Richie? 

~

(Authors Note: So sorry that Richie’s sections in this chapter are so short, I’ll make up for it. I think.)

It was now 4:37 and Richie had to be on set at 4:45. He had time. He took his time to get to location part because he was trying to find Eddie again, part because he didn't know where the hell he was.

5:02 is when he got to set, he didn't even see Eddie again, he could've got eaten by wolves.

"Thanks for being late asshole!" A flaming redhead marched up to Richie punching him in the arm twice. "Kurt has been yelling at me for 15 minutes. Where the hell were you?! Sidetracked? Lost?"

"Both.. mainly lost though. This town is fucking creepy its like the streets are changing."

"Maybe that's why they chose here to film, trashmouth."

"Alright Kids, film now chat later." Kurt, pushed Beverly and Richie out the door of their trailer and into the small park where a lot of the movie took place

~

EDDIE: Richie?

NUMBER: no..

NUMBER: you're richie 

EDDIE: I don't think so..

NUMBER: then how'd you get his jacket

EDDIE: who's this?

BAILEY: Marsha

BAILEY: I go to Derry high school

Eddie knew who Bailey was. She was the "popular" girl of the school. She had dated half of the football team including Mike, (whom she ripped the heart out of). About a year ago she dated Henry bowers before he joined the military. They were relentless to each and everyone of the losers.

Freshman year Martha and Henry found Eddie on make out bridge, lip locked with a guy, as the name entailed. They both left with several bruises and a year of being made fun of by not only the pair, but they hadn’t told anyone. Shortly after the incident the two broke up, and the other boy moved. Since then nobody else knew about his secret except Ben, Bill, Mike and Stan.

EDDIE: I'm not Richie.

BAILEY: then who are you

EDDIE: Eddie 

This was a bad idea

BAILEY: oh wheezy

BAILEY: how the hell did you get Richie toziers jacket?

EDDIE: he gave it to me.

BAILEY: oh I see

BAILEY: what did you sleep with him to get him to talk to you

BAILEY: fag

BAILEY: answer me wheezy

Eddie had set down the phone, just watching the messages pop up. God he hated her. And now he was dreading going to school tomorrow.

How the hell did Bailey Klerk manage to slip her number into the celebrities pocket. Maybe Richie knew and that's why he took the jacket off. Maybe Richie already made friends with Bailey and was playing a joke on him. 

The hacking of his mother downstairs snapped him back to reality as he slid his phone under his pillow. He tried to ignore everything and work on govt notes but he couldn't ignore the black hole forming in the pit of his stomach.

~

After 4 hours of filming the two kids were off. Beverly and Richie were as tight as two kids could be. They grew up together and were acting since they were young. Both of them were taking care of themselves.

"So how was your first official day in your new school buddy?" She took a drag from her cigarette blowing it in richies face

"Well Ms.Marsh, you're missing out I really think you should join we could have fun!"  
Richie slid down against the trailer wall onto the floor across from the couch/bed.

"Yeah right, the last school you attended you skipped half the days we weren't even filming." She paused "Why do you go to school again?"

"To pick up hoes" 

"Doesn't that make you a slut"

"No. I'm an admirer of art" Richie grabbed a cigarette out of his accomplices box and lit it.

"That's nasty Tozier, where are your cigs" bev was obviously a little pissed that he was borrowing hers.

"In my jacket,"

"And your jacket is..?"

"With a boy"

"Was he cute?" Leaning forward Beverly actually looked interested in what the trash mouth had to say.

"Why is that the first question? Not why does he have your jacket"

"Was. He. Cute? It's a simple question Richard."

"I guess. He was short, brown hair, nice ass" Richie did think he was cute, after all he did end up taking his jacket from him even though he was just joking.

"Well looks like you got the whole package"

"That's what your aunt said last night"

"Beep beep rich"


End file.
